Abstract
Over the past 26 years, there have been approximately 73 cases of catastrophic cheerleading injuries in America. They included broken necks or fractured skulls that led to permanent disabilities and deaths. With increasing level of participation and more complex stunts and movements like gymnastic, cheerleading injuries have increased. Cheerleading has been a game with a high rate of serious injuries. According to Welch (2013, p.1192), “two-thirds of fatal injuries in female athletes come from cheerleading alone.” I agree with Welch because approximately 30,00 cheerleaders every year are treated in emergency rooms around the world. Since the mid-80s, the emergency room visits from cheerleaders have tripled because cheerleading has become competitive and about high-risk gymnastic stunts. In this period, it also increased in participation and popularity. On the list of sports with the highest number of injuries, cheerleading has been ranked 16. Most cheerleaders suffer from a dislocation or fracture, while most have concussions. Others develop long-term medical conditions, shorter lifespans, or permanent disabilities. This research paper will discuss the dangers of cheerleading, including injuries caused by cheerleading and how often they occur, potential dangers all around, and how it can be more dangerous depending on the venue or gym.
Introduction
According to Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries (p.1), cheerleading is a fun and engaging game designed to support a sports team. It is very popular in the United States and is usually performed by groups of girls wearing unique uniforms. Cheerleading is not technically listed as an official sport in most states. This means that cheerleading does not require the same limits during work, safety equipment, or trainer training that is essential for other sports. The high-risk stunts like pyramids, tumbling runs, and basket tosses top the injuries list (Mueller, p.566). They are mainly executed on the gym floors, dirt, and grass with no protective cover separating the cheerleader from the hard surface.
The cheerleading coaches need to be certified in 13 states, according to the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA). However, the certification happens online, and it does provide training in gymnastics or sporting techniques. There are rules against double-twisting, basket tosses, and dismounts banned by the AACCA in 2010. But these rules only apply to junior cheerleaders, and there is no cheerleader police at the high school level. It means repercussions for still doing the stunts have not been set. Without the strict enforcement of the rules, the injuries caused by cheerleading keep increasing each day.
Analysis
The new introduction of competitiveness in cheerleading has changed over the decades. Intense gymnastics and dance routines are considered responsible for most of the injuries that cheerleaders sustain. However, because most organizations do not consider cheerleading a professional sport, it is not mandated to follow strict safety rules, which has a part in the increasing rate of injuries for cheerleaders. There are common cheerleading injuries among the cheerleaders reported most frequently. They include ankle injuries, knee injuries, concussions, other head injuries, and wrist injuries.
With the introduction of competitive cheerleading, there have been more stunting and tumbling activities where one or more cheerleaders support one cheerleader during a routine performance. The repetitiveness of the tumbling routines puts a lot of pressure on the spine and can lead to stress fractures. If a cheerleader lands on a jump in an awkward position, it stresses the ligaments of the knee and ankle to the point where they fail. When landing in an off-balance or short position, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the primary knee stabilizer, is put at significant risk (Nationwide Children, p.1). These injuries mostly happen because of poor technique and lack of lower extremity balance, flexibility, and strength.
Routines done by the cheerleaders especially those in the cheerleading competition include multiple tumbling, jumping, and running. Practicing these habits several times a week can put a strain on the cheerleaders’ ankles. This might lead to them getting breaks or sprains on the ankles. For young children practicing cheerleading, this may be a problem become they are still growing up, and their joints are not fully formed. It makes cheerleaders more likely to get injured. An ankle sprain can heal in about six weeks, but more severe injuries like torn ligaments or a broken bone need surgery, leading to a cheerleader being on the sideline for months.
A tumbling pass may affect the ankles while jumping down from a pyramid or landing. It also affects the knees. Suppose the cheerleader doing the stunt fails to land squarely on their feet. In that case, they could strain and tear the ligaments in the knee like the meniscus, medial collateral ligament (MCL), or the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) (Geisinger, p.1). The cheerleader could also sustain minor ligament sprains that can heal in four weeks. However, severe tears or sprains might need surgery and take six months to one year or more to fully recover. Moreover, a cheerleader can sustain long-term consequences from the injury.
One of the most known injuries among cheerleaders is concussions. Compared to sports like soccer, concussions from cheerleading might occur more. Studies have shown that cheerleaders under stunts are at greater risk of getting abrasions because some cheerleader hikers could fall on them. However, those who are on top of the stunts and flyers are also at risk of getting into a collision, especially if they are dropped. Concussions are severe injuries to the head that can lead to potential long-term issues. Cheerleaders who sustain concussions are not allowed any physical activity until they fully heal or are cleared by the doctor.
Wrist injuries are also a common injury among cheerleaders. According to Geisinger ( p.1), “when a cheerleader falls, their first instinct is to catch themselves with their hands.” I agree with Geisinger because this is a natural response by most people trying to protect their heads. However, while using the wrists protects the head, it can cause severe damage to the wrists. If the cheerleader falls too hard on their wrist, it could sprain, dislocate or break. Wrist injuries might not limit physical activities, but they limit the activities that the cheerleader can participate in. Wrist injuries take several weeks to months to heal fully.
A study discovered that collegiate cheerleaders were more likely to have higher rates of injury than high school cheerleaders. This is because they might have more experience and attempt harder to execute stunts during their routine. As a result, collegiate cheerleaders are more prone to severe injuries while performing their routine. The training, qualification, and experience of the cheerleading coaches have been found not to affect the rates of injury among cheerleaders. However, researchers have challenged these findings and say the low injury rates among cheerleaders are directed by highly trained, trained and experienced trainers.
In the study, Shields (p. 575) states that the results of the study on occurring injuries include that the cheerleaders injured the ankle more often, sprains and strains were the most occurring forms of injury, and that most of the cheerleading injuries happen during the gymnastic maneuvers, pyramids, and partner stunts. Also, the falls from a high height and making contact with other cheerleaders during the fall account for most injuries among the cheerleaders. Concussions represented about 4 percent of the injuries. They are a severe injury as they can expose the cheerleaders to traumatic brain injury, especially if they get a second head injury after a concussion.
A study was conducted to check if injuries in the body parts were consistent according to the age groups of the cheerleaders. Researchers discovered that a sprain or strain was the most commonly reported injury in every age group. In cheerleaders aged fourteen, the second most common diagnosis was a fracture. The second most common diagnosis in cheerleaders aged fifteen to seventeen was a concussion. The head is the most injured body part across all age groups. The second most injured part for cheerleaders aged fourteen to seventeen is the knee and the ankle for those aged fifteen and sixteen (DeFreece, p.6). The likelihood of an injury occurring during cheerleading depends on several factors. Most of the time, the frequent occurrence of injuries depends on the cheerleader’s age. In a study conducted, the age group that registers most injuries is between ages fourteen and eighteen. As for the most place where injuries occur is at school, especially during cheerleading practices (DeFreece, p.16).
Even though the risk of cheerleading has been put across and supported by evidence repeatedly, it still gets less attention than other sports with similar or even lower levels of risk. The low awareness of the physical demands of cheerleading might contribute to the little research on cheerleading as an individual sport instead of other team sports. In recent years, all levels of cheerleading have undertaken changes in regulations. Most of the rules were made to increase safety without reducing the athleticism of cheerleading. For the safety protocols to be well established, it is essential to understand cheerleading injuries. From 2010 to 2019, cheerleading has continued to be more complex and dangerous because of the tumbling and stunt skills (Xu, p.6).
Moreover, cheerleading has expanded, with its participants rising from 3 million in 2010 to almost 4 million in 2019 (Xu, p.6). Despite the increase in the number of cheerleaders over the years, the risks of cheerleading have become more noticeable. Concussions have been an increasing injury occurrence among cheerleaders over the decades. The stunts are the main skills that place the cheerleaders at risk of developing concussions, with the flyer cheerleaders having a higher risk of falling and getting concussions. Gyms are the place where most cheerleaders are likely to sustain serious injuries. The gyms that cheerleaders use can tend to be negligent in several ways.
The gyms that cheerleaders use should have spring floors that are in good working condition to protect the cheerleaders. If the floors are left bare, which is mostly the case, injuries are more likely to happen. Moreover, the cheerleading teams require access to the equipment to determine what stunting and tumbling moves are appropriate for using the equipment. However, it is important to know that football fields and gym floors provide not enough protection to cheerleaders who do high-flying tosses, tumbling passes, and dangerous stunts.
Coach negligence is also a cause of the increasing injuries among cheerleaders. Competent and trained coaches are a better choice because they do not ignore safety issues that might cause injuries to the cheerleaders. The negligence of the coaches places the cheerleaders in more danger, especially during practice as they master new moves. When cheerleader leaders make a new tumble or stunt, there should be spots so that the cheerleader does not make a bad fall that could cause serious life-changing injuries. In addition, athletes can practice new stunts on hard and soft mats instead of on solid surfaces such as a ball inserted or on the floor in the gym. In addition, when cheerleaders fall, coaches should take a serious injury or have a cheerleader visit the hospital for a checkup. The coaches should also inform the parents of the cheerleader.
However, some coaches keep putting pressure on cheerleaders to do stunts beyond what is safe. The keep going and suck it up attitude that most coaches use is not a good motivation because it places the cheerleaders in more danger of injuries. According to Collins (p.1), “the more tired the cheerleader is when working out, the more likely they will get injured during stunting and tumbling.” I agree with this statement because a tired cheerleader is more reckless as their body strength is drained. If the cheerleaders attempt to do tumbling like standing tucks without having enough strength, it might lead to falls and injuries. However, some trainers insist that cheerleaders make tucks stand at the end of a bad habit even though they see that some cheerleader batsmen are too tired to reach the stunt barely. It is reckless, and it increases the chances of sustaining injuries.
Some coaches put a lot of pressure on athletes to try to roll with the events they are not ready for, especially when there is competition. This ends up in disaster, with the cheerleader sustaining injuries. Some coaches insist on cheerleader groups trying a new and challenging stunt without ensuring that the cheerleader has enough skills and experience. Coaches need to know how to safely train their cheerleaders from one skill to the next without hurrying them and making them do stunts and tumbling when they do not have enough experience or skills to try.
Coaches also cause injuries to their cheerleaders when they ignore protocol. According to Collins (p.1), “if a cheerleader gets a head injury while practicing, they should stop practice and be attended to by the doctor before they are cleared for competition or practice.” I agree with this statement because if an athlete falls during a stunt and gets a head injury like a concussion, they will not be able to carry out their moves usually. This places the other cheerleaders at risk of sustaining an injury or the cheerleader with the concussion getting a more severe head injury like a brain injury. The coach is not authorized to determine if an injury is severe enough because it is the doctor’s duty. It is essential because it helps the cheerleader avoid multiple concussions at once.
A study showed that having multiple concussions affects a cheerleader’s health compared to a single injury (Collins, p.1). If the coach pushes the athlete to go on practicing after sustaining an injury through a fall on their head, the chances of severe health consequences are higher. A blow to the head that is not taken seriously in the beginning when it is gotten turns out to be a severe threat to the cheerleader’s health and might even cause brain injury if the athlete does not take time to heal. The coach should take any injury from the cheerleader seriously and insist that they stop practicing. They should also tell the parents about the injury and advise the cheerleader to take care of themselves first and foremost before returning to practice.
Even though some injuries sustained by cheerleaders can be categorized as accidents, most of them are related to poor physical conditioning and training. Some of the leading causes of injuries include insufficient shoulder and arm strength, vague abdominal and core strength, poor range of motion and flexibility, lack of proper safety tools, performing skills that are above the expertise of a cheerleader, and lack of experience with a specific skill (UPMC, p.1). These are some of the causes of cheerleading accompanied by uncaring and inefficient coaches.
Cheerleading is a sport that needs a lot of endurance and strength to make the routines the best, especially in competitions. The cheerleaders have to go through exercise conditioning almost every practice and do exercises outside of the practices (Morrison, p.1). Cheerleading does have its benefits, like helping cheerleaders keep a healthy body weight hence reducing chances of obesity-related diseases. However, despite these benefits, it has still been a dangerous sport. Not only does it affect the body but also the mind. The self-esteem of cheerleaders may be lower due to cheerleading. The emotional and mental impact that cheerleading has varies with the individual cheerleader and depends on the coach’s approach.
In most cases, cheerleading demands the cheerleader’s mindset and self-esteem. According to Bologna (p.1), “when coaches or parents or even the peers focus more on the physical capability and image of the cheerleader to hit a certain skill, it can be devastating to the cheerleader.” I agree with this statement since a cheerleader cannot make a specific tumble or flip, and the coach shouts at her for incompetence instead of directing and correcting her; it affects their self-esteem. If the coach loudly tells the cheerleader that she is not good enough or strong enough, the cheerleader will take that to be a fact and look down on herself, ultimately affecting her self-esteem.
Moreover, the negative messages from parents, teammates, and parents may bring about negative self-talk in the cheerleaders that may develop a lack of motivation mental health disorders like severe anxiety, depression, panic attacks, degrading personal mantras, and a decrease in their skill levels. Moreover, there is a particular body image related to cheerleaders because of the clothes they wear. The psychology behind the body image can lead to eating disorders and exercise addiction, among other things. Having an unrealistic view of their body can lead to life-threatening eating disorders (Carey, p.1)
According to a study, cheerleaders are at a higher risk of developing body image issues and eating disorders. In the study, 33 percent of cheerleaders had a risk of eating disorder characteristics or behaviors (American College of Sports Medicine, p.1). According to Torres-McGehee (p.548), “cheerleaders, especially the flyers, have a higher risk of developing eating disorders because of their revealing midriff uniforms.” I agree with the statement because cheerleaders with uniforms that expose their midriff are more prone to body image issues that might lead to them developing eating disorders by eating less food. These issues can form at a young age and last a lifetime. The coaches and teams should consider the long-term effects that the revealing uniforms have on some of the cheerleaders. The national governing bodies should prevent eating disorders and promote self-esteem among cheerleaders.
Conclusion
While cheerleading has its benefits, like reducing the chances of obesity-related diseases like diabetes, it also has its risks and dangers. It does not only affect the body of the cheerleader but also the mind, as studies have shown. It is thought of as one of the most dangerous sports because of the many recurring injuries that cheerleaders sustain during practice and competitions. The introduction of stunts and flips has made it more dangerous. The cheerleaders are prone to ankle, knee, wrist, and head injuries. They are also at a high risk of getting body image issues and eating disorders. These issues can be prevented if strict guidelines are put in place and followed up.
Works Cited
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